The Jewelry Box
by Celonhael
Summary: InuYasha must warn Kikyo of danger; Rin visits Izumi; Sango makes a purchase
1. Chapter 1

_**Author's Note: Please read my Profile Page for the newest information regarding my website on weebly.**_

The morning was brilliant. It threatened to be a hot day, however, but the sky was an amazing blue. A few dark clouds were gathering on the horizon, which was fine, because they looked like they might bring some rain to the badly parched land. Once again, the ground was getting dusty, and the rivers were lowering.  
Kagome and Sango were washing in Kaede's hut, a simple sponge bath. They didn't want to use the water in the river where it was so low. Kagome had decided that she was going to bring Miroku and Sango over to her world for a shower in a day or two, as a surprise. She remembered how surprised InuYasha had been at everything in her world, and according to the hanyou, both Miroku and Sango had been the same.  
Dressed again, Kagome pulled her hair back into a ponytail to get it up off her neck. She put on shorts and a tank with a short sleeved blouse over it. It promised to be hot.  
Kagome glanced over her shoulder to see Sango pulling on her shirt. The terrible scar on her back had faded over time to a pale pink, no longer a lurid red. She wondered if she should mention it to her, maybe to make her feel better, but decided against it. She got that scar when her father was slain. She didn't want to remind her of that.  
After they washed, they stepped outside, squinting in the bright sun.  
"I wonder what we'll be doing today?" Kagome asked, shielding her eyes as she looked over the village.  
Sango shook her head, "I'm not sure. I think InuYasha wanted to try and see if he could catch any scent or sign of Jemu."  
"He's long gone," Kagome said quietly, "He's not stupid enough to hang around. Especially after that other man, that...Omek...told him to let me go."  
Kagome suppressed a shiver. If Omek hadn't intervened, her friends would have found her, strangled to death on the path from the well.  
_Why on earth did Omek step in?_ she wondered, _That was the name the little boy said he heard Jemu say, Omek._  
Kagome smiled to herself, thinking about their return a few days ago. Mikado had dropped DarkWind off in his own village, and then brought Kagome and InuYasha back to Kaede's village. Mikado had gone inside to talk to Izumi.  
Shippo had been the first to come running out of the hut, furious.  
_"You big jerk!"_ he yelled, launching himself at the hanyou, _"You took off and didn't tell us where you were going! We looked for you forever!"_  
InuYasha blinked, and grabbed Shippo by the back of his shirt, holding him out at arm's length while the kitsune screamed and hollared.  
Sango and Miroku came out, looking upset and put-out.  
"Kagome, are you ok?" Sango asked, running up to Kagome. The two women hugged tightly, "I'm fine, Sango."  
Sango lightly touched Kagome's cheek, wincing a little, but Kagome smiled, "It's not that bad, just a bruise."  
Sango hugged Kagome again, then turned to InuYasha, angry, "Couldn't you have told us what you were planning on doing!?"  
"Hey, _I_ didn't know what I was planning on doing until I was doing it! And I wanted to move fast!"  
"So we would have slowed you down, is that it!?" she demanded, shrilly.  
"I never said that!" InuYasha yelled, growing defensive.  
Miroku walked towards InuYasha, raising a hand, "Calm down, everyone, please."  
Sango and InuYasha crossed their arms, angry.  
Miroku, gently, cleared his throat, and said, "InuYasha, let me speak for everyone here when I say..."  
In one swift move, he brought up his staff and clonked the hanyou over the head with it, _"Don't you __**ever**__ do anything that insane and inconsiderate again!"_  
_"OW!_"  
"Did it occur to you that perhaps we were worried about Kagome as well, and would have wanted to be a part of rescuing her!?"  
"Lay off! I did what I had to!"  
"And once again you took off without considering anyone else! You didn't even do us the honor of telling us to our face, you scratched a message on a tree!"  
Kagome blinked, half amused, watching InuYasha and the monk yelling at each other, face-to-face. It was such an odd thing to see, Miroku was ususally much too composed and quiet.  
Sango sighed, " 'Calm down, everyone', he says."  
Mikado walked out of Kaede's hut, shaking her head, "You two are going to wake the dead. Stop screaming, it's too early. Besides, you've all got a busy day ahead of you."  
"We do?" InuYasha blinked at the Senmin.  
"Yeeees," Mikado said, grinning like a demon, "You have to go to the village east of here, and help them with some demons that are giving them trouble."  
"What!? What are we, exterminators?"  
"Well..._I_ am," Sango murmured.  
"No," Mikado said to the hanyou, still grinning that creepy grin, "But what you _are_ is in debt to _me_ for going all the way down south and hauling your behind back up here, after searching for you for over a day at the behest of your worried friends. You'll pay off that debt by helping this village."  
InuYasha growled.  
"Oh come on," Kagome said to him, as the others went to retrieve some things, "It'll give you something to fight. You've been spoiling for a fight for a while now."  
"Huh," he muttered, "You'd swear I sold all their belongings or something."  
"InuYasha," Kagome smiled, "They're upset because they care. They care about both of us. If they didn't care, it wouldn't have mattered what you did."  
"Yeah, yeah," he grumbled again, rubbing his head lightly.  
The village wasn't that far away, and it was a pleasant day for walking. Despite earlier hints, the day turned slightly cool, thanks to a small breeze that cropped up.  
"What sorts of demons are we supposed to be dealing with, anyway?" Shippo asked, in Kagome's arms.  
"Lad- ah...Mikado said they were powerful enough to be causing a great deal of trouble to the locals. They have a priestess there, though elderly, and she's having trouble keeping them away."  
"Not your averge demons, then," Sango said.  
"What's an 'average' demon anyway?" Shippo asked, jumping from Kagome's arms to the monk's shoulder.  
Miroku chuckled, "A very good question, Shippo."  
"Well, it shouldn't be too hard to get rid of them," InuYasha said, hands behind his head as he walked, "They said nothing about Oni." He glanced to his right, to look at Kagome, and blinked to see she wasn't there. He stopped, and turned, looking back the way they had come, lowering his arms, "Kagome?"  
She suddenly knelt, "Oh! Shoe's untied!" She made a show of re-tying her shoe, hoping the hanyou hadn't caught the look on her face.  
Priestess.  
It suddenly came to Kagome, on the path. Why it hadn't really struck a chord with her before now, she didn't know. Unless it was just the entirety of what had happened. But now, back with her friends, it suddenly came to her.  
Kikyo.  
Jemu. Jemu had come to her, disguised, looking for the Shikon. Telling her to give Kikyo the Shikon.  
Jemu was with Kikyo.  
_I have to tell him, she could be in danger. Jemu can't be trusted. Why would he be hanging around Kikyo? I don't understand._  
"Kagome?"  
A shadow fell over her, and she looked up to see him standing over her, a concerned look on his face, "You ok?"  
"Oh sure, just had to tie my shoe!"  
He studied her in silence as she slowly stood up.  
"Alright. Well...c'mon."  
"InuYasha..."  
"Now what?"  
Miroku and Sango had gone on ahead, and were looking back, politely waiting.  
"I have to tell you something about Kikyo."  
InuYasha instantly looked wary, like he was expecting some sort of trap, "...All right."  
"When I was in the forest the other day, before Jemu showed up...Kikyo was there."  
InuYasha watched her face, trying to read it, uneasy.  
"She said that she told you to get me to bring her the Shikon."  
He hesitated, then spoke, "Yeah, she did. But I told her no. I told her it was yours now."  
Kagome smiled at him, feeling a warm sense of relief, no matter how foolish, that he was still taking her side over Kikyo, "Thank you. That's what I told her too, but..."  
The smile left her face, "A man came up after and told me I had to give the Shikon to her. To Kikyo."  
InuYasha frowned, "A man..."  
"Who turned into Jemu."  
InuYasha blinked, taking a step towards her, "Are you sure?"  
"Definately. He had a hold of me when he turned. It was the same man. InuYasha...Kikyo might be in trouble. I think Jemu is hanging around with her."  
InuYasha stared at her, like he had no idea what he was supposed to say, or do. The thought of Jemu near Kikyo was enough to give him a creepy crawly feeling.  
"Can you smell her now?" Kagome asked, "Is she around here anywhere?"  
InuYasha shook his head, looking around, "No, I haven't caught her scent since I talked to her last."  
"We have to keep an eye out for her. I don't think Jemu will hurt her, but he might be using her somehow."  
InuYasha sighed, "Yeah. _Godsdamnit._"  
"Come on, Miroku and Sango are waiting for us."  
Kagome walked past InuYasha, and he fell in step behind her.  
"Is everything all right?" Sango asked, as they caught up.  
Kagome wasted no time, "I think Jemu is with Kikyo."  
Shippo, Sango and Miroku just blinked, startled.  
Kagome explained what happened as they walked, and by the time they came into view of the village, everyone was agreed. If they saw, or had any hint of the priestess, they'd do their best to warn her, and to confront Jemu and kill him.  
The village was large, and looked rather prosperous. There were three stores that stood open to the crowd as people came and went.  
"This place has certainly grown since I was here last," Miroku remarked, looking around.  
"You've been here before?" Sango asked him.  
"A few times, yes. Master Mushu and I have come here to buy hard-to-get supplies. There is a priest here who sells powerful charms, and he and my Master often visited."  
"While you chased the local women?" InuYasha asked, arching a brow.  
Miroku laughed, "Sadly, no. Master Mushu usually had me cleaning out the barrels and things we would be taking back with us."  
Sango smiled, looking at the stores, "Let's wrap this up quickly. I want to do some shopping."  
Kagome blinked at Sango, "You do?"  
Sango blushed prettily, "The last time I visited my village, Kohaku insisted I take my share of the village's earnings. I would have given you some, Kagome, but you said you still had a lot of money from the last time we were there."  
"That's right, I do," Kagome smiled, "Well, a shopping trip should be fun, then!"

She scowled at the weed.  
Izumi sighed, leaning back on her feet, where she knelt in Kaede's garden, drawing an arm across her forhead, wiping away the sweat there. Kneeling in the sun was hotter than she had expected.  
Raising a hand, she blocked the sunlight from her eyes, gazing up at the blue sky.  
_I feel nothing. Amaterasu is mute to me. It's so strange, being in the full glory of the sun, and not sensing her presence at all._  
She closed her eyes.  
Izumi remembered the younger Senmin's words when she came to visit, shortly after it was discovered InuYasha had left on his own to find Kagome.  
The news she ahd brought was devastating to her.  
The Celestial Plane, under full attack by Keimetsu's forces.  
Half of the palace, pulled down and destroyed! The outlying lands, burned! People, friends, dead.  
Aratok was missing.  
Kagura, at least, was safe. Mikado had been quick to assure Izumi of that, mentioning as well that the Wind Sorceress had been in the front line of defense, even when told by Mikado and others to leave. She had refused, standing strong against Keimetsu's forces, striking the enemy ranks again and again with her Dance of the Dragon, using her tornados to send them back, back, knocking them away again and again, until they grew weary, and were easily overcome by lesser soldiers.  
_"She's worried, though, about Aratok,_" Mikado said, _"No one's heard from him, not a sign, not a feather. Kagura won't say anything, but she's constantly scanning the sky, looking for him."_  
Izumi had begged Mikado to let her know the moment any news of Aratok was available, and then she went out back, tearing into Kaede's garden with a savage vengeance.  
Her fury was palpable, but she had no power to do anything. All she could do was throw things, or tear up blankets or door coverings. And since none of these things were hers, but Kaede's, she couldn't vent her fury and frusteration in that manner. So she turned her anger on the weeds.  
"Lady Izumi?" came the old woman's voice.  
"Back here, Lady Kaede, in your garden."  
"You have a visitor."  
Izumi blinked, looking over her shoulder, "A visitor?"  
Kaede walked around the corner of her hut, followed slightly behind, by a shy Rin.  
Izumi's face lit up, and she turned, holding out her arms, _"Rin!"_  
"Lady Izumi!" Rin cried, beaming. She ran to Izumi, and threw herself into the woman's arms, hugging her as hard as she could.  
"I'm so happy to see you!" Rin said, looking up at Izumi.  
Then her little face crumpled, and she burst into tears.  
"Rin! What's wrong?"  
"I missed you so much!" Rin cried, clinging to Izumi, "I heard you died and I died too, inside! I thought I would never see you again and my heart hurt so much I thought I would just die!"  
"Oh Rin," Izumi hugged the little girl, rocking her gently, "I was just...gone for a little while, that's all. I'm back now. It's ok, see? Don't cry, my dear one, don't cry."  
Rin fought to get her tears under control, hiccupping a few times, before finally calming down enough to talk.  
Her dark eyes looked up at Izumi, "Master Jakken says you're just a plain old human now, Lady Izumi. Is that true?"  
Izumi smiled, smoothing back the little girl's bangs, "Yes, it's true. I'm a human. But I'm not "plain old' anything. We humans are better than that, aren't we?"  
Rin sniffled, smiling.  
"Master Jakken said you were going to go live in a human village now and just be a plain old human, and grow old and ugly and die. Lord Sesshomaru got angry at him, and put his foot on him and squished him a lot, until Master Jakken apologised."  
Izumi half smiled at the image, but her smile faded at the memory of the demon lord's words to her on the beach.  
"Are you going to live here?" Rin asked.  
"I don't know," Izumi said honestly, "Perhaps. Hopefully I can find some way to get my powers back. If not...then...maybe I will live here."  
"Well...wherever you live, can I come visit you?"  
Izumi smiled at Rin, "As often as you want, dear. You are always welcome to visit me, you know that."  
Rin smiled so sweetly, Izumi's heart gave a little lurch.  
"Would you like to help me weed Lady Kaede's garden?"  
"Oh yes, please, only...I don't know what to do."  
"Kneel down here, by me. There. Now, do you see the little green shoots that look like this? With the little white puffy bit on top?"  
"Yes."  
"Take ahold of them down at the bottom, and gently pull them out. No, more gently than that, like this see? So you don't tear up too much ground. Yes, like that."  
The little girl chatted happily away to Izumi as they worked side by side, telling her all about the latest news with Sesshomaru, Jakken, and Ah and Un.  
"I saw Sokai the other day!" Rin said, looking up at Izumi.  
"How is she?"  
"Good! She lost some of her front teeth. I only lost one. But Sokai is growing in _fangs_!"  
"Well, she _is_ a demon, dear."  
"I know, it just seemed weird to see. When she smiles, she has this little fang half down in her mouth, like a teeny tiny fish fang or something."  
Izumi laughed.  
"Fangs are kind of scary."  
"Well, they can be," Izumi agreed, brushing the dirt off her hands, "But you have to look at the person that's doing the smiling. A lot of my closest friends have fangs."  
Rin blinked at Izumi in awe.  
"Lord Sesshomaru said that you were a Hand...Handmaiden of the sun goddess, Amat...Amat.."  
"Amaterasu, yes. But that was before."  
"What is she like?"  
"Amaterasu?"  
Rin nodded, wide eyed.  
Izumi smiled, "She is wonderful. She is love and compassion and kindness and wisdom, all wrapped up in one. When I am near her I feel happy."  
"Just like me and Lord Sesshomaru!"  
Izumi half smiled. The demon lord's name was making her feel odd...she kept getting flashes of their last encounter. Of the harsh words he had said to her. Of her own anger directed at him. A bond had been broken, a break she regretted. She was surprised at how much she had come to enjoy the demon lord's presence, his personality, no matter how acidic it could be. She remembered the time she spoke to him in the forest, so tired, after Sango's return, and how, for the first time since she had met him face to face, she had suddenly realized that Lord Sesshomaru was a man. Not just the son of her dearest friend, all grown up, not just someone she dealt with because of this coming war, but a man in his own right.  
A very exotic-looking, powerful, man.  
A man who, she was starting to think, might be looking at her in a manner she was not completely used to.  
Izumi had put it out of her head, not really wanting to think about that. Sesshomaru was her dearest friend's son. She had looked out to him when he had been a youth, keeping an eye on him as a favor to InuTashio.  
She had never felt in any way, towards any man, other than friendship, or as a sister to a brother, the way she felt towards InuTashio. Any...interest...had been non-existant. Because she was completely and totally devoted to her Goddess.  
But Sesshomaru had started making her feel...unbalanced. She never knew what he was going to do at any given time, and for her, that was odd. When they first met, she could tell what he had been going to do, or say, in any situation. But after a short while, she lost that ability with him. And certain things he said to her caused her to stop, to rethink what she had been going to say. He...confused her.  
_Well...no matter now, I suppose._ she thought, _After our fight, I doubt he will even speak to me again. I insulted him. To be honest, I'm surprised he didn't strike me for that._  
"Lady Izumi?"  
Izumi came back to the present, looking down at Rin, who was looking up at her with a slightly worried look on her face.  
"Rin?"  
"You were sort of...gone, for a minute there. You didn't hear me at all."  
"Oh, I'm sorry, I was lost in thought. Rin?"  
"Yes?"  
"Lord Sesshomaru knows you are here, right? You didn't...sneak off, or anything?"  
As soon as she said it, Izumi felt foolish. Rin would no more sneak off on Sesshomaru than she would chew off her own arm.  
"He let you come here?"  
"Oh yes. I asked if I could visit, since we were here anyway, and didn't seem to be going anywhere anytime soon, and he said yes. He made Master Jakken walk to the edge of the forest there, to make sure I got here safely."  
By this time, Lady Kaede had come out, and had joined them, pulling up some vegetables and brushing the dirt off, putting them into a basket.  
" 'Here anyway'? What do you mean? Is Sesshomaru in the forest near this village?"  
Rin nodded, "Uh-huh!"  
"Haven't ye sensed it, Lady Izumi?" Kaede asked, "The lord Sesshomaru has been in the forest surrounding this village for several days now."  
Izumi sat up, peering past Kaede into the edge of the forest, as if she could see a tall, slender, silver figure.  
There was nothing.  
"I seem to have lost my ability to sense demons as well," Izumi murmured.  
Why was Sesshomaru hanging around this village? For Rin? But why hadn't the little girl visited before now?  
"Lady Izumi?" Rin asked.  
Izumi looked down.  
"Are you...I mean..."  
"Go ahead, Rin."  
"Well, when you had all your powers, you used to fight monsters and things. Lord Sesshomaru and Master Jakken never really talked about it in front of me, but I overheard some things. You were fighting a bad man, called Kei...Kee...anyway...now that you're a human...are you still going to be fighting him?"  
Lady Kaede sat back on her heels, watching.  
Izumi spoke carefuly, "I will, yes."  
"But you might get hurt!"  
"I might, yes," Izumi said softly, "But I will be very, very careful. And I have very strong friends, like InuYasha, to protect me."  
"But why are you going to do it if you don't have any powers now?"  
"Well...it's hard to explain...and maybe at your age, it's very hard to understand, but...when we do something we truly believe in, Rin, something that we believe in so much that it's a part of our very heart and soul...then stopping, just because we're not as strong as we used to be, is like a betrayal to ourselves. And to those we love. Can you understand that?"  
Rin looked down at her knees, "I think so, yes. But I don't want you to be hurt, Lady Izumi. I don't w-want you to d-d-d.."  
Izumi bent low, and pulled the little girl to her, and hugged her again, "I promise you, Rin, I promise you with all my heart and body and soul, that I will be as careful as I can. I won't do anything that's dangerous unless I absolutely have to. I will try every other way first. Because I don't want to make you sad, ever again."  
She kissed Rin's temple, and the little girl squeezed her back, as hard as her little arms could.  
"Remember you promised. Please remember."  
"I will. I will always remember."  
Rin knuckled new tears from her eyes, then looked up, and smiled, sniffling, "Ok then."

In the village, InuYasha and the others arrived, and started asking around. It was apparent they were very eager to have someone take care of the demon problems, and seeing that a monk travelled with them was more than enough.  
Many villagers came out to complain about what the demons were doing to them.  
"From what I can gather," Miroku said to the group after, "The demons aren't particularly strong or powerful. Even some of the stronger villagers here have managed to slay some. It's that there are quite a large number of them. They tend to come in a large group, overwhelming the defenses."  
"Well, that's good, at least," Kagome said.  
"However," Miroku said, "It causes a different sort of problem, to be honest. The four of us, trying to take out these demons, no matter how many, are only going to get in each other's way."  
Everyone watched the monk.  
"Kagome, why don't you and Sango go do that shopping you were talking about earlier, while InuYasha and I take care of these demons?"  
InuYasha blinked, "Hey!"  
Sango and Kagome looked doubtful, "Are you sure, Miroku?"  
"I'm perfectly sure," he said, smiling charmingly, "And with Shippo to help, I'm sure we can easily take care of this."  
Shippo puffed out his chest, feeling very big.  
"Well...if you're sure," Sango said, glancing at Kagome. The other woman shrugged, as if to say, "I guess so."  
"Go and have fun," Miroku said, waving them off, "We'll catch up with you once we've taken care of the demons."  
Still not quite sure, the two women walked back towards the market area of the large village, glancing back now and then.  
"Why the hell did you volunteer me for this, Miroku?" InuYasha complained, "And if there are more of us, the faster this will be over."  
Miroku nodded, "Yes, and the faster the women will leave to return back to Kaede's village with us."  
"Yeah, so?"  
Miroku sighed, "I think Kagome and Sango should have a little time to themselves, don't you?"  
InuYasha arched a brow, "What the hell does _that_ mean?"  
Shippo jumped up onto Miroku's shoulder, looking confused as well, "Are you saying Kagome and Sango are romantically involved?"  
"No, of course not!" Miroku laughed, "But both women have had a bit of a hard time lately. And if it's one thing I know about women, it's that they enjoy just being with their women friends, talking, and occasionally shopping for themselves. Kagome has had a bad time as of late, and I think Sango would enjoy just shopping. She spends a great deal of her time fighting and worrying about us. I...would just like to see her relaxing a little, enjoying herself."  
InuYasha grinned at Miroku, and the monk blushed slightly, "Stop grinning at me, you look like an idiot."  
InuYasha laughed, "Alright, fine. Let's go see about these rampaging demons or whatever."

The two women browsed the stalls, peering at this and that. The colors of silks for sale were brilliant, the jewlery fine and sparkling.  
"Wow," Kagome said, "I never thought to see such things for sale here in a village." To her they looked remarkably similar to things she often saw in center kiosks at the malls in her world. Necklaces, earrings, wonderful woven things.  
Sango was running a long strip of violet silk through her hands, "This color is so beautiful."  
Kagome smiled at her friend, "It would look beautiful on you, Sango."  
The other woman blushed, and lay down the silk, "Thank you, but I'm not sure how well it would stand up the first time I threw Hiraikotsu."  
"You don't throw it around constantly, Sango," Kagome said, picking up a strip of it again, and draping it over Sango's shoulder, "You could make a dress with this. A kimono, or a robe...even a blouse would be so lovely."  
Sango smiled fondly at the other woman, "And where would I wear it?"  
"Well...you could...at your village! The next time you go home for a visit!"  
"I'm too busy making sure everything is going perfect. I'd ruin lovely silk like this," Sango smiled, taking the cloth from Kagome again, and folding it, putting it back on the wooden dowel.  
"That reminds me," Kagome said, walking along and looking at some more things, "I'm bringing you and Miroku to my world in a few days, for a visit. You guys can have some food from my world, still hot, and showers and stuff."  
Sango looked at Kagome, blinking, "Are you certain, Kagome? Your mother won't mind you just bringing us over?"  
"Of course not! Mom would love to meet you all. She _sort_ of met you during Hallowe'en, but that was such a crazy time. She'll make a nice big dinner with dessert and all the yummy stuff! Come on, I want to show you my room and my school and stuff."  
"Well...ok," Sango said.  
Kagome grinned, and walked on, pointing out some things.  
It was a little while later, when Sango was looking at some earrings, that her eyes fell on the box.  
It was sitting back on a shelf, but a sunbeam struck it, making it shine. She reached up, and picked it up, looking at it closely.  
It was a wooden box, about six inches long and 4 long, about 3 high, with mother-of-pearl inlay in the shape of waves of water on a rocky shore. It was a little dusty, and she brushed it off, blowing the dust free.  
Her fingers moved over the edges until she found the latch, and she opened it.  
Inside was bright red silk lining the edges. There was a round hole in the far end, and something laying in the box.  
Carefully, Sango picked up the object, looking at it.  
There were two wooden carved Japanese red-crowned cranes facing each other on a round post. They were facing each other. As she turned it, the wings swung back and forth, and she realized they were hinged as well. The post they were attached to had little tiny wooden dowels sticking out of the bottom.  
Going on a hunch, Sango slipped the wooden plug into the little hole, and heard something click. It fit in perfectly.  
A little golden fin on the side turned, and Sango wound it up.  
As the key turned, unwound, the two cranes started to rise up and down, opening their wings. One opened it's long bill, and a rusty _crooonk_ came out.  
Sango smiled. They were doing the courtship dance. Or trying to. The insides were probably rusty.  
"Isn't it lovely?"  
Sango gasped, and almost dropped it in her shock. She juggled it, finally getting a tight grip on it, and turned to see the old man watching her.  
He smiled, his face a network of wrinkles.  
"Yes, it's beautiful."  
In her hands, came another sad _croooonk_.  
"Except for the sound," Sango laughed.  
The old man laughed as well, "Yes, it's rather old. There's a tinker a few stalls over, if you're interested. He's very good, I'm sure he could fix or replace the broken parts."  
"Oh, no, I don't know...it's lovely, but..."  
"It's a box for a lady's jewlery," the old man beamed at it, "When it was new, it was so beautiful. There's a small scuff on the bottom corner, there, as you can see. I guess someone dropped it at one time. If it's all polished up, it would be lovely on your dresser!"  
Sango smiled, "I'm sort of...on the move right now. I wouldn't have any place to put it. May I ask where you got it?"  
"Well, that's a strange story all on it's own. It belonged to the woman of a monk who lived in a temple a ways from here. She died, and it was very important to the monk, of course. All he had of his beloved woman."  
Sango smiled at the old man, looking at the box.  
"Then, the temple was broken into, and many things were stolen. The thieves were never caught. This jewlery box made it's way here over the years. It's been sitting up there for a long time now."  
"Why didn't you return it to the monk?" Sango asked, looking out the doorway, where Kagome was holding two necklaces in her hands, apparently unable to decide which one.  
"I would have, but the monk died since it went missing. I asked another monk that lived there at the temple, when he came here, but he said no, it was best to leave it here. Maybe it would bring someone else better luck that it had the original owner."  
Sango pulled the little plug with the cranes on it out, and gently laid it back in the box, "I don't know what he meant about better luck. How did the woman die?"  
"She died in childbirth, bringing the monk's child into the world."  
"Oh," Sango said gently, "Still...it happens often, sadly."  
"Yes, but the monk who loved the woman was cursed anyway, long before he lost his beloved woman."  
"Oh?" Sango looked up at the old man.  
"Oh yes. It may be hard to believe, but the monk who loved the woman, had a hole in his hand, he called it a Wind Tunnel."  
Sango blinked, looking back at the man.  
"Rumor has it, his son inherited the same thing."


	2. Chapter 2

The afternoon wore on. Rin had eaten dinner, and then left. Izumi walked her to the edge of the forest, making sure Jakken was there.  
"Lady Izumi!" Jakken said, bowing to her, "It's a pleasure to see you again!"  
"Thank you, Jakken," Izumi said. She was pleased Jakken was talking to her. From what Rin had said, she wouldn't have been surprised to see the little green imp turn from her as well, deciding she was no longer worth talking to. Certainly, if Sesshomaru had said anything to him, the imp would have picked up on that.  
Yet Rin said Sesshomaru had punished Jakken for speaking poorly of her.  
_You are an enigma, Lord Sesshomaru._ she thought.  
"It's good to see you again, Jakken," Izumi smiled, "I trust you are well?"  
"Yes, thank you!"  
"And...Lord Sesshomaru?"  
"He's perfect, as always, of course!" Jakken said, loyally.  
Izumi nodded, glancing away.  
The green imp watched the woman, wondering if he should say anything. Tell her how how his beloved lord seemed so out of sorts lately. Angry inside. Impatient. Unsettled. He walked, often, just walking, as if he couldn't settle.  
"Please come and see me again, Rin, when you can," Izumi hugged Rin again, and turned, making her way back towards the village.  
Rin and Jakken watched her walk back, quiet.  
"She's sad," Rin said quietly.

Kagome watched as Sango walked out of the little store, a wrapped up package in her hands. She had a strange look on her face, and the store owner was bowing her out.  
She walked over, "Hey Sango, finally decided on something?"  
"Kagome," Sango said, in a strange, somewhat tense tone, "I need to show you something."  
"Ok."  
Kagome followed the demon slayer over and sat on a small raised dias in the shade of a tree. Sango unwrapped the small package, and showed it to Kagome.  
"Oh Sango, that's lovely!"  
"It's a woman's jewlery box."  
"It's so pretty! Bring it with you when you guys come to my world! We'll get some jewelry polish and shine it right up!"  
"I bought it for Miroku."  
Kagome blinked, studying Sango's face, "You...bought a woman's jewelry box for Miroku?"  
"I...I think it was his mother's."  
Kagome blinked again.  
Sango quickly explained what the store owner had told her, and Kagome fell silent, looking at the small box in the woman's hands.  
"Well...what do you know about Miroku's mother? He's never spoken of her to me at all."  
"He told me once that she died giving birth to them. So he never knew her at all."  
"Well, that goes with the story of - wait. 'Them'?"  
Sango nodded, and looked at Kagome, "He told me he had a twin at birth."  
Kagome looked startled, then smiled, "Really? Miroku was a twin? Identical, or fraternal?"  
"If you mean did his brother look like him, I think he said yes. But his brother was very weak, and died shortly after his mother."  
"That's so sad," Kagome said softly. The thoughts of another Miroku was fascinating. And a little scary.  
Sango spoke, "So, like you said, it matches up with the story."  
"Well, yes," Kagome said, nodding, "But I mean...how many monks with Wind Tunnels in their hands can there be? Not to mention passing it down to a son?"  
Sango nodded.  
"So, when are you going to give it to him?"  
"I..." Sango looked uneasy, "I don't know if I will or not."  
Kagome looked confused, "You bought it for Miroku and now you're not sure if you're going to give it to him or not?"  
Sango looked crossly at the other woman, "Don't make fun of me, Kagome, I'm all mixed up!"  
Kagome blinked, and leaned back slightly, hands up, palms out in a peace gesture, "Easy, easy, I'm not making fun at all, just confused. I mean, why _wouldn't_ you give it to him?"  
"Well...if it was his mother's, and she died giving birth to him, maybe it would make him feel strange to have it? Weird? And why didn't his master, Master Mushu, give it to Miroku when he saw it had finally turned up in the village?"  
"I don't know, that's a good question," Kagome said.  
"The store owner said the monk - Master Mushu, I guess - said he hoped it would give someone else better luck than the woman who owned it. I guess having a lover who had the Wind Tunnel, and then having a child with one too...he considered that bad luck."  
"But it wasn't the jewelry box that gave Miroku's family the Wind Tunnel, it was Naraku. And it wasn't the jewelry box that made his mother die while giving birth to him. A lot of women die in childbirth."  
Sango nodded, looking at the box in her hands.  
"I think Master Mushu was wrong," Kagome said, "It wasn't his to decide. It was Miroku's mother's, and it should have gone to him when she died. Once it was found again, Miroku should have had the option of keeping it. I think you should definately give it to him."  
Sango looked at Kagome, "But what if it's not his mother's after all?"  
Kagome arched a brow, "Monk. Wind Tunnel. Hello?"  
Sango sighed, wrapping up the box again, "I know, I know. I just...what if he doesn't want it? What if he's hurt to see it again? What should I do, Kagome?"  
The other woman looked at Sango firmly, "You want my honest opinion?"  
"Yes, of course."  
"I think you should polish it right up, and give it to him. Tell him you heard that story, figured it _must_ be his, and give it to him. If he doesn't want it, he doesn't have to keep it or anything. But I think he will. I think the fact you thought enough of him to buy it will make him keep it."  
Sango blushed, but nodded, "You're right. If all that that the store owner told me was true, it _has_ to be his mother's. If not...then that old man will give me a full refund!"  
Kagome laughed, "That's the spirit!"  
"I have to find a tinker. The old man said there was one here."  
"A tinker? What for?"  
Sango unwrapped the box again, opening it, and showing it to Kagome. When the crane made that terrible _crooonk_ sound, Kagome burst out laughing.  
"Oh that's awful! It must be so rusty! Yes, definately get a tinker to look at it. Clean it up, or maybe replace the parts that are needed."  
Sango smiled, "They dance. See?"  
"Yes, the courtship dance. It's very beautiful."  
Hearing a noise, Kagome turned to see InuYasha and Miroku returning, walking towards them.  
"Quick! It's Miroku!"  
Sango hurriedly removed the cranes and closed the box. She rewrapped the box, and they stood up as the men approached. Shippo was riding on Miroku's shoulder.  
"That was quick," Kagome said, as they stopped before the women.  
"There weren't all that many," InuYasha complained.  
"We need to remain to be sure," Miroku said, "I got the impression there were more here. Maybe tonight another group will arrive."  
The monk noticed Sango carrying the wrapped parcel, and smiled, "Ah, made a purchase, Sango?"  
"Yes," Sango smiled, "Just a little something I saw that I liked."  
"What was it?" InuYasha asked.  
"Now InuYasha," Kagome gently chided, "Maybe it's personal."  
Sango laughed, and tucked the item under her arm, "Yes, maybe I'll show you al-"  
At that moment, the package under her arm made a mournful _crooooonk_, and she turned a bright red.  
InuYasha looked alarmed, "You might want to put some holes in that, I think it needs to breathe."  
"No, it's...it's...fine," Sango half choked, "I'll be back, I have to see someone."  
She turned, starting back towards the market, searching for a tinker.  
She was followed by a sad _croooooonk_. Sango moved a little faster.  
Now Shippo looked alarmed, "I think maybe it needs medicine!"  
Kagome started to giggle, "No, it's fine, honest. Come on, let's go grab something to eat while we wait."

Sango returned a short while later without the package. In explanation, she said only that the item needed some adjustments. It was assumed that what she had bought was some form of clothing - minus the strange noises it had made earlier - and no more was asked. The demon slayer said that it would be available the next day, so they could just return to Kaede's for the night, and she would come back tomorrow and pick it up.  
As they were walking back towards the village, InuYasha stopped, glancing around.  
Kagmoe looked at him, concerned, "What is it?"  
"I can smell that bastard again," he grumbled.  
Kagome took a step back, alarmed, one hand rising to her chest, "Jemu?"  
"No, Sesshomaru," he answered. He looked at her, at how tense she had become. Kagome flushed, and dropped her hand as if stung, looking away.  
"Kagome," he started, unsure how to continue. But she shook her head, and turned, and started after the others, not wanting to talk.  
He sighed, and followed after.  
They walked into the village, raising a small cloud of dust as they walked. Izumi looked up at them, and smiled, "Ah, welcome back! How went the hunting?"  
"The demons were really small," InuYasha said, basically complaining, "It was hardly worth taking out Tetsusaiga."  
Izumi softly laughed, "Then next time we'll have to make sure it's good and powerful for you."  
"Was...Sesshomaru here?"  
Izumi blinked, then smiled. "No, but Rin was."  
"Rin?" Kagome smiled, "How is she?"  
"Growing like a weed."  
They got ready for supper, and ate lightly. It was growing warm again, and no one really wanted to eat. After eating, they had the kettle put on - everyone enjoyed tea after eating.  
Izumi slipped outside to throw the remains of their meal into the forest. It consisted of vegetables and rice, and she knew the forest animals would dispose of it cleanly.  
As she was tossing out the remains, something moved in the corner of her eye, and she turned quickly, looking.  
Nothing.  
She frowned, looking into the shadows of the forest. She was sure she had seen something move. Something...  
Silver.  
She fell silent. Was it the demon lord? Had Sesshomaru come this close to the village?  
Izumi was somewhat dismayed to discover she wanted to step into the forest, and check. To see if it was him.  
And yet a part of her did not want to call out, to find him. She remembered the words he spoke to her, on the beach, and an unpleasant knot formed in her stomach. His words had been hurtful and devastating. She had always known that the demon lord had a tongue of acid, but she had never expected it to be turned on her in quite that manner.  
_Because I never thought to be without Amaterasu's powers,_ she thought miserably.  
She was alarmed at how quickly she felt the pinprick of tears form. She raised a hand, wiping them from her face.  
_Of all the fates that awaited me, I never once expected this to be one of them._  
She sighed, and turned, heading back towards the village.

The man watched the woman turn and move back, and he clenched his fists.  
So it was true.  
Izumi, First Senmin, First Handmaiden of Amaterasu was now, nothing more, than a plain, simple human.  
Omek shook his head, disbelieving.  
How in all the hells had that happened? He had never expected to see her such.  
When he had first laid eyes on Izumi, centuries ago, he had been smitten by her beauty. And when she smiled at him, his heart had stopped.  
Omek had been taken in by Daikako, the God of the Harvest, he had been so happy to serve. He had spent his life as a human farmer, and had given much food away to the poor of his village. He had always had plenty, had been plump. But as a good farmer, he had always had money, and had never longed for something he couldn't have. He was pleased by Izumi's desire of growing things, and they had grown close over her garden.  
Too close.  
He had pressed himself on her, hoping for a like feeling from her, but it had not been there. She loved her damned Goddess too much to even consider loving someone else. They had fought. And she had slapped him.  
He had been infuriated. He had burned her garden in a fit of rage, and then, in horror of what he had done, he cast aside his Senmin title and fled, running from his own beloved Daikako.  
He had huddled on earth, miserable, abandoned, cursing his fate, when the other one found him. Keimetsu. And Keimetsu had promised him much. Power. Glory.  
Izumi.  
Over the centuries, cast out from his former glory, living seperated from the other Senmin, Omek had slowly gone mad. His desires for Izumi swung from a desire to have her, to claim her, to a desire to kill her, humiliate her, see her crawl before him. One moment his fantasy was that of living with her, in love, in a celestial palce of their own, and the next he dreamed of making her crawl through filth and dirt, crying, begging his forgiveness before he struck her down, slicing her open.  
Never...in all his plans...had Izumi ever become a human.  
"How far you have fallen," he whispered, as he watched her enter the hut again, "how far you have come. Now you are nothing. How _dare_ they reduce you so?"  
She was such a short distance away. He knew he could cross the village in seconds, destroy the hut, and grab her, leave with her. Those around her, the fool hanyou and human friends, would be utterly helpless against him.  
_She_ would be utterly helpless against him.  
But his Master, Keimetsu, would punish him. This war was as much political as physical.  
Like the ancient game of Shogi, everything had to be considered before a move was made. Moves, counter-moves. Blocks. Feints.  
He cursed under his breath, then turned, vanishing in the shadows.

That night, the clouds covered the sky. It was humid and too warm for comfort. Kaede, Izumi, and Shippo slept in one hut, the four friends in the other. Shippo only left because, as he claimed, "Kaede and Izumi don't snore _half_ as loud as InuYasha and Miroku". Izumi didn't mind giving up her hut for the four friends, seeing it was the one they used the most often anyway.  
They sat on the porches, talking until it grew late, and said their goodnights. No fires were lit - it was way too hot and muggy for extra heat. Both huts used small battery powered lanterns set on nightlight option that Kagome had brought from her world. They gave a soft, heatless glow to the huts.  
They each said goodnight, and settled in, stretching out under one sheet each. InuYasha completely decided to forgo any sheet at all, and slept his old way, sitting up, back against a wall, sword resting in the crook of his arm.  
It might have been the humidity, but the hanyou had a harder time sleeping than the others did. At least that was what he told himself - he certainly didn't want to admit it might be because he had gotten used to sleeping lying down under a blanket.  
He found the nightlight weird. It cast a steady light, not the normal, gentle flicker he was used to. Although he had to admit, it was nice having light without any extra heat.  
He let his eyes rove over the sleeping forms of his friends, watching them as they drowsed. He wondered what on earth Sango had bought that had sounded so sickly. He had been sure it was some sort of animal, but one didn't get an animal "adjusted", at least not that he knew of.  
Miroku looked peaceful enough, and InuYasha cast the monk a half-hearted snort. Blasted Miroku always looked peaceful. Once...just once...he'd like to see the monk looking as frusterated and irritated as he felt sometimes.  
He watched Kagome.  
She was curled up under her sheet, eyes closed, eyelashes like black lace against her cheeks. He thought again of what had recently happened to her. How she had been taken, and nearly raped. It had been that bastard Jemu's fault.  
He wouldn't relax until the Shadeling was dead and gone. He was the last one, as far as he knew. The one that took Kagome from them once before, turning her into some undead thing, no heart, no soul. He remembered how she had looked so empty, and mentally cringed.  
When she first arrived in his world, she had been so damned hopeless. Clumsy, terrified all the time, concerned about the stupidest things. Now she was strong, sensible, level-headed. She kept him grounded when he needed it.  
InuYasha adjusted the Tetsusaiga, still watching her, somewhat amused to find he wanted to go to her and slip under the blanket with her. Just lie down beside her. He remembered how it had felt to sleep beside her at the Wolf Demon's place, tucked against her, his arm around her, face against her shoulder. She had been so warm and soft, so _comfortable_ to lie against.  
And she always smelled so good.  
He suddenly found himself wondering what next year would bring. Or the one after that.  
Thinking about the future was something InuYasha hadn't done much of before. He had never really known when it would all be over, so why bother thinking about tomorrow? One day at a time. If you were alive when the sun rose, you thought about that day. And that night. That was it. Tomorrow's dawn couldn't be counted on.  
Now he...now he found himself wondering. Their lives were all turned upside down because of this. But what about _after_?  
Kagome had told him once that Sango wanted to start a school, a school for women. A place where women could learn trades like singing, weaving, dancing, painting, sewing. Things that would allow her to earn a living on her own if her husband died or if she never got married. A way women could look after themselves if they didn't _want_ to get married.  
That made sense to him. He had never thought much about _that_ either, the whole interplay between women and men. But if a husband was cruel to his wife, or if a woman had the choice of marrying a terrible man or starve to death, why _shouldn't_ there be another option? It seemed right to him, and he was more than willing to help her however she needed it. He wasn't sure what Miroku would do, but he was pretty sure he'd stay with Sango.  
Maybe Miroku and Sango would have kids...  
A face suddenly appeared in his thoughts, a face seen from a vision Mikado had shown him once, of a future that _might_ be. Of a small little girl, with a heart shaped face, small human ears, her hair pulled back into a ponytail.  
Golden eyes. Silver hair.  
GinSachi.  
Her voice, crystal bright, _"Daddy?!"_  
He looked at Kagome again.  
It had been their child. His and Kagome's. He had been dead in that world, that place, but Kagome had lived, and had brought their child into the world.  
The memory, the image, made him feel so strange. Like there was lightning trapped in his veins. He had never, _ever_, even considered the faintest _possibility_...that he would ever end up a father.  
It was insane.  
He didn't even _like_ kids.  
Well...excepting Sokai.  
But that face...that little face...with Kagome's ears, the shape of her face...  
A living representation of their bond, their...  
_Say it, you idiot._  
Ok, their love. It made him feel like he wanted to bolt.  
He sighed, rubbing his face.  
_How you think seriously about something you never thought about before because you didnt' think you'd be alive to even consider it?_  
"InuYasha?"  
He jumped, dropping his hand, looking at her, where she sat up, watching him. Her voice was a whisper, "Are you ok?"  
"Uh...yeah.." he found himself blushing, and cursed himself for an idiot.  
"Can't sleep?"  
"Too humid," he lied.  
"Yeah, me too," she nodded. She pushed back the sheet, and stood up. She was wearing shorts and a tank because of the heat, and it made her skin look oddly green.  
"I'm going to go sit on the porch, maybe catch a breeze," she said, and turned, slipping out through the door.  
She brushed a little spot clean for her butt, and sat, leaning slightly to the side, resting on her hand. There was no moon, it was really dark outside.  
At least there was a breeze, though.  
A smaller breeze kicked up as he slipped out through the door, and sat beside her, leaning back on his own hands slightly.  
They were silent, not speaking for a while, just sitting together, listening to the night sounds. From the little hut across they way, they heard a small snoring.  
InuYasha snorted, "And he said _I_ snore."  
Kagome laughed.  
"I don't snore," he complained, then glanced at her, "Do I?"  
"Eeeh, sometimes," Kagome smiled, "But it's not loud at all. I think Shippo just likes being in a hut with two women, they spoil him."  
"Feh."  
"Oh come on," she smiled, "Everyone likes being spoiled."  
He said nothing. In the distance an owl hooted, and another answered. Mates, hunting.  
He suddenly wanted to tell Kagome what he saw. Describe the child to her. But he couldn't. He didn't know if he would even be able to form the words.  
He heard her shift, and she rested against him. He slipped an arm around her, thinking how _easy_ it suddenly seemed. Why the hell had it been so hard before?  
She rested her head against his shoulder, and his hand rested against her thigh. Her skin was warm and smooth, and he wanted to caress it, to feel the softness under his hand. Her scent was all around him, and he closed his eyes.  
InuYasha remembered that day, so long ago now, it seemed. The day he had been so stupid, had caused the break between them. But before that, they had been in the forest, laughing, and they had lay on the grass, her beneath him, and they had kissed. His hand had been on the flat of her stomach, and he had raised it, just below her breast, not brave enough to go any farther. She had been so solid under his hand.  
He suddenly remembered the night he had been at her aunt's, when he had been given that drink by mistake, and it had been like he was drunk. He had stood behind her, and kissed her neck...and had put his arms around her, his hands on her stomach...and then higher...he remembered the feel of her in his hands, how she had moved slightly against him...  
Her voice came to him, as she had told him she wanted to give him another chance...  
_"...we can't just go back to exactly how it was, you know? I mean...things were kind of ...close...and it's been a while now. It would be... weird if we just sort of...jumped right back in again after all this time, so just...yeah. You know. Easy. Calm."_  
He had agreed...how quickly he had agreed. He thought if Kagome demanded that he cut off all his hair or dye it green he would have agreed. He just wanted her _back_.  
He hadn't expected to be so...drawn to her again. And now that he had _seen_ her bathing...it was worse.  
He felt his face flush hot. Part of him felt oddly uneasy he kept remembering how she looked, how she moved. A part of him kept trying to compare himself with Miroku when they first met. But a part of him wanted to be with her. To touch her. Smell her. Feel the smoothness of her skin. Not because she was a woman, but because she was _Kagome_.  
But, Godsdamnit, he felt so damned _awkward!_  
"Penny for your thoughts," she said softly, and he almost burst out laughing.  
"Not thinking about anything," he quietly lied, a little surprised at himself, that he had actually sat and thought about his _thoughts_.  
Kagome smiled, and linked her fingers in his.  
They sat that way for a long time, just together, listening to the owls hunt. After a while, Kagome stirred, and yawned, "I think I'm going back in now. Are you going to come in too, or...?"  
"I'm gonna stay here a while," he said, "Maybe some more night air will help me sleep."  
"Alright," she said softly. She stood up, and bent, kissing him gently, before turning and slipping back inside.  
The hanyou looked back out over the little village. Two or three huts had small lights in them, just barely visible. Single candles, most likely, others who couldn't sleep.  
_A breeze would be night right now._ he thought. They could open the windows and door flaps, get breezes right inside the huts.  
As if he had asked personally, a faint breeze came up, and drifted across his face.  
He stopped, tensing slightly.  
The scent that came on the breeze was well known to him.  
Kikyo.


	3. Chapter 3

He sat there, not sure what to do. The scent was so faint it was hard to tell if it was even there or not.  
After a second, it came again. It was distant, but there. She wasn't close, but the breeze was carrying her scent to him.  
His stomach tightened. Now what? Kagome was right, they needed to warn her, to let her know about the danger of Jemu, but he wasn't sure he wanted to face her. Their last encounter hadn't gone well...not that he blamed her, not really.  
He sighed, and stood up. He walked to the door, peering in at Kagome. He was worried if he left without telling her, she'd get angry, but he didn't want to wake her up, either.  
He whispered her name, very softly.  
Luckily, she heard him, and rolled over, half sitting up, "InuYasha?"  
The hanyou jerked his head in a "come out" motion. Blinking, she pushed back her sheet again, and stood up, following him outside.  
Outside, she looked at him, "What is it?"  
"Kagome, I can smell Kikyo."  
Kagome blinked, "She's here?"  
"No, but I can smell her. I can track her..."  
She looked at him, slightly confused. What was wrong?  
"Well...we need to tell her about Jemu," Kagome said, and InuYasha nodded.  
He spoke, awkward, "I didn't want to just up and leave and not let you know. I mean, you should probably come too."  
Kagome blinked again, "I...I'm not sure that's a good idea." She tried to put herself in Kikyo's place. Kagome wouldn't want to see the one she felt had replaced her.  
InuYasha watched her, carefully, "Are you sure? I mean, I don't want you to think..."  
Kagome smiled, and stepped forward. She went up on tiptoes and gave him a very light kiss on his cheek, "I know. And thank you, for telling me."  
He watched her face, and nodded, "Alright."  
Kagome stepped back, watched as he turned, and started down over the steps. He glanced back at her, "I'll be right back. I'm just going to tell her, and come back."  
She nodded, speaking softly, "Alright."  
He turned, and started to run.  
As he ran, he took a deep breath, letting out the unpleasant feeling in his gut. Maybe it was best Kagome wasn't coming. He didn't want any kind of scene. Kikyo was so angry at him the last time.  
But there was no way he was going to go talk to Kikyo without letting Kagome know. And let her come, if she wanted. Since DarkWind, the hanyou finally understood how it felt to always feel second to someone. To always wonder where you stood. Finally understood just how much it could _hurt_ to see the one you love turning to someone else.  
She gave him a chance, and he wasn't going to jeopardize that if he could avoid it.  
He ran for a little less than 10 minutes, until her scent grew stronger, and he homed in on it. He came to a little hut near a farm. There was a single candle burning inside.  
InuYasha cast about, searching for anyone else's scent. He didn't know if Jemu could disguise his scent, but he couldn't smell anyone else besides Kikyo.  
He walked towards the door, peering inside.  
She sat on the floor, looking over some scrolls. She was wearing a plain sleeping gown that fell past her knees. Her hair was undone, falling past her waist in a long black stream.  
He hesitated, then called her name.  
She looked up, and her eyes widened.  
For a second, she paused, just staring at him, as if unsure if he was real or not. After a minute, she stood, and approached the doorway.  
"InuYasha."  
"Kikyo, listen, I think you're in danger."  
A strange look came over her face, and she stepped outside, onto the little porch, watching him, "What do you mean?"  
"Kagome told me you met her in th-"  
Her face darkened, and she stepped back a step, "I have no interest in talking about _her_."  
"Just _listen_!" he said, getting angry, "She told me a man came to her after you and her were talking, and he told her to give you back the Shikon."  
Kikyo fell silent.  
"But he turned into a Shadeling, Kikyo. His name is Jemu, and he's _dangerous_. He's trying to kill Kagome, probably the rest of us, too."  
Kikyo crossed her arms under her breasts, and walked down off the little porch, coming to stand before him, looking up at him, "This is just some stupid story, isn't it?"  
"No," he said, shaking his head, "It's not. Jemu can't be trusted. He's one of the ones trying to kill us, he's on the wrong side. You _have_ to be careful."  
She took another step towards him, "And just what do you suggest I do, InuYasha?"  
InuYasha sighed, looking away for a second, "Just...be careful. Don't really trust anyone you don't know that well. If you can...if you can get something that belongs to someone you think might Jemu, bring it to me. I know his scent, I can tell you if it's him or not."  
Kikyo watched him in silence for a moment, then spoke softly, "Is this the only reason you came to me, InuYasha?"  
InuYasha looked away for a second, then back, and nodded, speaking softly, "Yes, Kikyo."  
"I miss you so much," she said quietly, reaching up and lightly touching his cheek, "Now that I'm alive again, I miss you so _much_..."  
InuYasha gently took her wrist in his hand, "Kikyo-"  
She stepped in, leaning up, and kissed him.  
InuYasha froze for a second, startled.  
For a second, a split second, all the old ways came back to him. Her scent. Her touch. The feel of her warm lips.  
But after that second passed, all he could think about was what would happen if Kagome saw this. How much it would hurt her. Again.  
InuYasha stepped back swiftly, breaking the kiss, lowering Kikyo's hand, "Don't."  
Anger flashed over her face, and she pulled her hand away, backing up from him.  
"Heartless bastard!" she cried, and he was horrified to see tears in her eyes.  
"I'm sorry, Kik-"  
"_Oh save your apologies!_" Kikyo cried, backing up another step.  
"I only wanted to warn-"  
"I'm perfectly capable of telling who is a dark presence and who isn't! I don't need your help. Go back to your little girl and play house! I have work to do!"  
"I..."  
"_Leave me alone!"_ Kikyo shrieked, "Don't ever come around here again! You're not welcome, InuYasha!"  
Angry, frusterated, upset, InuYasha turned, and left, running back towards Kaede's hut. There was a small, unpleasant ball in the pit of his stomach, but he grumbled to himself.  
What did he expect? Did he really think she'd just accept what he told her and be done with it?  
Well, no matter. He had told her, and he would _still_ protect her if she needed it. He'd never abandon her if she was in danger, hurt.  
Back at Kaede's hut, he wasn't surprised to find her sitting outside, waiting for him. The clouds had thinned out, and here and there the moon shone through, lighting little patches with moonbeams.  
She sat on the porch, legs up, arms wrapped around her knees, gently rocking back and forth on her butt, looking out towards the village. It was early morning, and a few extremly early rises were already starting to get up, getting ready to start their day.  
As he approached, she turned, and saw him. She didn't stand, but watched him as he walked up the little porch, and sat beside her. He slipped an arm around her, pulling her to him.  
"Did you tell her?" Kagome asked, quietly.  
"Yeah."  
"And?"  
He shrugged, "I don't know if she believed me or not. But I told her."  
She rested her head on his shoulder.  
It had been hard. She wanted to follow him, so badly. To see. To watch. But she knew she had to trust him. _She_ had to work at this relationship too, and that meant she had to believe him when he told her he was with her now.  
Still...she was so glad to see him back so quickly.  
They stayed that way, resting together, watching the moonbeams move over the village, until they both slowly drifted off, sleeping in the cool night air outside.

The next morning, Sango left on Kirara to pick up her parcel. Miroku found it odd that she didn't ask anyone to accompany her, but said nothing.  
When she returned, she seemed odd, almost out of sorts. The monk wondered if anything had happened to her while she was gone.  
It was later, when she returned and they had eaten, that she rose. Miroku noticed she carried the wrapped package under her arm.  
"Miroku, would you walk with me for a moment?"  
The monk blinked, but rose, "Certainly, Sango."  
InuYasha watched Sango and Miroku walk towards the forest, curious.  
Kagome lightly elbowed him, "Don't be nosey."  
Miroku followed behind Sango, curious as to what she could want. She had been acting odd since they went to the market.  
They walked a little ways, Sango slightly in front. She seemed preoccupied, and Miroku found himself growing more and more curious.  
She led them to a little clearing, and stopped, turning around and looking at him. The monk thought she looked like she might bolt.  
He started to get uneasy, "Sango, is anything wrong? I haven't done anything to upset you, have I?"  
"No, no, of course not. I just...I wanted to talk to you."  
"Very well..."  
He approached her, resting the staff in the crook of his arm, watching her.  
Sango held the little wrapped package in her hands, and looked down at it.  
"When I was in the market, I was looking around, and I saw a woman's jewelry box for sale. I...I bought it."  
Carefully, she unwrapped the little box, and showed it to him. It had been polished, and shone softly.  
Miroku frowned slightly, "May I..?"  
"Of course," she handed it to him.  
The monk moved his staff, leaning it against a nearby tree, and took the box in his hands. He ran his fingers over it, feeling the raised swirls and embellishments.  
"The man in the market, he...he said it belonged to a monk's woman. A monk that lived a little ways from here. A monk with a...a Wind Tunnel in his hand."  
Miroku blinked at her.  
"It was your mother's, wasn't it?"  
Miroku looked down again at the box, still frowning slightly. He seemed to be searching, his fingers moving over the surface.  
Gently opening the box, Miroku looked inside, smiling slightly. He reached in, and picked up the peg with the cranes on it. He plugged it in, and easily found the little key on the side. He gave it a few turns, and the cranes started to move.  
They slid up and down smoothly, silently, opening their wings as they did. A soft, musical trill came from each as it rose, before it sank down and it's partner rose.  
Miroku smiled again, a warm, gentle smile, "I don't understand. Where did he find this?"  
"The merchant said that it was sold to him by a man who claimed _he_ bought it from a thief. It's been there for years."  
Miroku watched the cranes rise and fall, softly trilling.  
"It _is_ your mother's, isn't it Miroku?" she asked, softly.  
Miroku nodded, his eyes fixed on the birds, "It is. I remember when it was stolen from the temple. Father was devastated...as was I. When she died, Master Mushu advised he remove all things she had owned from the temple, fearing that his grief would keep her spirit from moving on properly. But my father couldn't part with this. It was her prized possession, and she often set it to singing, even though she had very little jewelry to keep inside."  
Sango watched him, listening.  
The monk's voice softened, as he continued to watch the cranes, "I remember he didn't like it when I touched it. He was afraid I would break it, being a young child. He would turn it on for me, let me watch it that way, but...I often snuck into his room when he was away and Master Mushu was out. I would take it and put it on the floor so I wouldn't drop it, set the cranes in, and turn it on."  
He half chuckled, voice quiet, "I was always afraid I was going to drop it. I did, once, when a loud noise outside startled me." His fingers felt underneath the box, and found the small dent in the bottom.  
"I was terrified for days that father was going to notice it."  
Sango said nothing, let him talk.  
As she watched, Miroku closed his eyes, remembering back in time, seeing it again.  
"I would set it on the floor, and set it singing. I was very young, and...I never knew her. She died giving birth to us, and so I never knew what she looked like. But I missed her. I missed having a mother. I would close my eyes, and listen to the cranes sing, and ... I would pretend she was kneeling on the other side, with her eyes closed, and we were listening to the cranes together. Her appearance often changed, as I had nothing to base it on, but her presence always felt the same. Someone who would love me and hold me and make me warm.  
I used to pray so hard that when I opened my eyes, she would be there.  
But of course, she never was."  
Miroku opened his eyes, suddenly startled to see the image of the box before him was a blur of colors. A slight tickle on his cheek caused him to raise a hand, and he was surprised to find wetness.  
"Oh," he laughed weakly, using his robe's sleeve to hurriedly wipe his eyes, embarassed, "Forgive me, I...didn't mean to..."  
He looked at her, and she looked so _stricken_, her hands clasped before her, eyes wide, "Miroku, I'm so _sorry-_"  
"Nonsense," he said, laughing at himself, feeling foolish, "They're old memories."  
Sango watched him, feeling her heart pound. She understood the monk a little better now. Understood why, perhaps, he always sought out the affections of women. No child should grow up without a mother to hold them and hug them and love them. His father must have been distant, and so he always felt a need for a woman's acceptance. And as he grew into a man, so did his needs. But he was still searching for a woman's love, even for a very short time.  
"Here," he said, blushing, trying to brush it all aside, "It's a good buy, Sango. It certainly held up all this time."  
Sango didn't have the heart to tell him how rusted it had been, but she shook her head, "I bought it for you, Miroku."  
The monk blinked, "For...me?"  
"Of course," she said softly, "It was your mother's. It belongs to you."  
Miroku looked at her, stunned, unable to speak for a second. After a moment, he croaked, "That...Sango. You didn't have to..."  
"I _wanted_ to," she said softly. "Once I knew it was yours, I wanted you to have it. She'd want you to have it, Miroku. You just said you bonded with her spirit over it. Of course she would want you to have it."  
He just looked at her, suddenly unable to speak properly, "Sango."  
Sango gave a half laugh, suddenly blushing, and she nervously brushed her bangs from her hair, "Anyway, I...want you to have it."  
"T...Thank you, Sango. This...means more to me than you will ever know." He unplugged the cranes, closed the box, and slipped it inside his robe.  
She smiled at him, and turned, starting back towards the others.  
Miroku turned, and picked up his staff from where it lay against a tree. He closed his eyes.  
He wanted to reach out and hold her so _badly_, his hands almost ached. He tightened his grip on the staff, almost grinding it under his hands, commanding his heart to slow down. His whole body felt like it was burning.  
Miroku rested his head against the metal head of the staff, eyes closed, his bangs all poofed up against the metal.  
He wanted her, so badly. He wanted to just hold her. To kiss her. Never had he ever felt this way towards a woman as he felt towards Sango. There was physical desire, yes, but also a burning need to just _hold_ her. To listen to her heart. To bury his face in her hair. To whisper soft things, and hear her whisper soft things back.  
"Miroku, are you ok?"  
"Yes, of course," he called back, forcing a smile into his voice. Taking a deep breath, he opened his eyes, and turned, walking towards her, smiling. She waited for him, and they walked back towards the camp together.  
_I told you as you healed, Sango, that soon I would tell you how I felt. That day is coming soon. Forgive me, but I cannot stand like this much longer. Even if you do not feel the same...I need you to know how I feel. I need you to know._  
Kagome looked up where she sat with InuYasha, and smiled, "Just in time, I just decided to make popcorn!"

END


End file.
